Life of Martin Garza celebrated at memorial

Steven Acosta, left, and Josh Godinez led other football players carrying the casket of slain teammate Martin Garza to the 50-yard line at his memorial service, a three-hour remembrance by Garza's coaches, teachers and classmates. The nearly 2,000 in attendance lined up in the chilly night to view Garza in his open casket at Warne Field, where he was a left guard and a leader.
— Peggy Peattie

Steven Acosta, left, and Josh Godinez led other football players carrying the casket of slain teammate Martin Garza to the 50-yard line at his memorial service, a three-hour remembrance by Garza's coaches, teachers and classmates. The nearly 2,000 in attendance lined up in the chilly night to view Garza in his open casket at Warne Field, where he was a left guard and a leader.
— Peggy Peattie

Steven Acosta, left, and Josh Godinez, right, led other football teamates performing as pallbearers as they carry the casket of fallen teamate Martin Garza to the 50-yard line for his memorial service on Friday night..
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

Yulil and Martin Garza stand with hundreds of well-wishers, family and friends during the memorial for their son Martin Garza, on the football field at Brawley Union High Friday night, where people were invited to pass by the open casket.
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

Two funerals for Brawley Union High athlete Martin Garza dominated the town of Friday and Saturday. Relatives from Northern California and Texas filled homes and local hotels to attend. Friday's services were a three-hour remembrance by Garza's coaches and teachers, ...
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

Martin's sister Yulinda Garza, right, receives an embrace from one of the hundreds of family and friends who packed St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church Saturday morning for the slain teenager's funeral..
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

At a private viewing for family, Martin Garza Sr., left, embraces family that came from Texas, including his grandmother Orvilia Garza in the wheelchair, to attend his son's funeral.
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

Family and friends embraced outside the church Saturday's services which were a more private, religious affair at the family's church St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Brawley..
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

Two funerals for Brawley Union High athlete Martin Garza dominated the town of Friday and Saturday. Relatives from Northern California and Texas filled homes and local hotels to attend. Saturday's services were a religious affair at the family's church St. ...
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

Bianka Velez, left, presents Yulil and Martin Garza with a proclamation from the office of California Assemblyman Manuel Perez on the football field at Brawley Union High Friday night.
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

One of the elaborately produced programs full of snapshots was left on the bleachers along with candles, following the memorial service for Martin Garza on the football field at Brawley Union High Friday night.
— Peggy Peattie / U-T San Diego

When Jon Self became Brawley’s head football coach in 2011, he focused his immediate attention on the offensive line.

The Wildcats don’t throw the ball much. The “35-lead” is their staple, an off-tackle running play that leans heavily on the left side of the line.

“I had to look for a guy that had size,” Self said. “He wasn’t tall, but he was gordo.”

As a 5-foot-9 left guard, Martin “Gordo” Garza helped the Wildcats to a 10-2 record this past fall. They advanced as far as the San Diego Section semifinals, falling to eventual state bowl champion Madison.

“Had to look for a guy that would work,” Self continued, “and he did that.”

Last summer, Garza got a job working for Imperial Valley grower Jimmy Abatti. Each morning, he’d wake before sunrise to arrive at the fields by 6 a.m.

“Had to look for a guy that was unselfish,” Self went on. “Check on that.”

Garza told Abatti he wanted the job to help his parents with tuition. His sister and best friend, Yulinda, was beginning college. Garza himself was already planning for college. Last fall, he applied to San Diego State (Yulil’s alma mater), Fresno State and Humboldt State.

“Had to look for a guy with character,” Self said. “Check on that.”

Garza told Abatti about his reasons for working while his friends slept, but he never told his parents. Only after Garza’s passing did Yulil and her husband, also named Martin, discover their son’s motivation.

“He didn’t have to work,” Abatti said, “but he wanted to work to help his parents.”

They’d raised a son who delved into any sport. His first word was “ball.” His first love: baseball. Then there was youth wrestling and rec soccer and, just this year, varsity basketball.

His last love: football. Besides the colleges he’d applied to, he considered braving the cold of North Dakota to continue pursuing that love at Mayville State.

But, for Garza, it went beyond sports. He shared his famous bear hugs with everyone — teammates, classmates, fellow field workers, strangers. His smile and personality won friends wherever he went — lunch, practice, work, all around the Imperial Valley.

That would explain why the memorial crowd was dotted with colors other than blue and gold. Why there were friends from El Centro and Calexico and Holtville and Calipatria and Palo Verde.